Magic Expansion Story Summaries

The tales of Magic are rich with heroes and villains, legends and minions, bravery and betrayal. Each story reveals a piece of a grand design, giving Magic: The Gathering a legacy beyond the cards.

These summaries are broken into blocks (a trio of expansions that follow a story arc) and provide a small insight into the story behind each set. Click on a set name to go to the full story synopsis.

Note: Summaries are listed in descending chronological order from the most recent expansion.

MirrodinAcross the harsh landscape of Mirrodin, Glissa Sunseeker - an orphaned elf - must make her way, seeking the secrets of her past, daring the perils of her present.

ScourgeThe battle rages on! Amid the titanic clash between Phage and Akroma, all Dominaria shuddered. Now, out of the destruction and chaos a new force arises, and Kamahl must face his greatest foe: Karona.

Legions Akroma rallies the Southern Order and Wirewood elves to her cause, while Phage increases the popularity of the pit fights to increase her dark numbers. Soon, the tensions will reach a critical mass, and and all-out bloodbath will ensue — a battle that Kamahl may not be able to ignore.

OnslaughtThe battle for the Mirari has ended. Kamahl has been embraced by the Krosan Forest and must use all of his cunning to protect his sister Jeska, now in the form of the deadly Phage, from the powerful illusionist, Ixidor.

JudgmentOnce again, the Mirari has changed hands and Laquatus missed out. Instead, Kamahl was finally able to attain the artifact, making its vast powers his to command. But will he be any more successful at controlling its abilities than his previous owners, all of whom are now dead?

TormentOn the continent of Otaria, the worst has happened: the Cabal possesses the Mirari. Kamahl renews his struggle to claim the magical orb, even as two figures from his past journey from the Pardic Mountains in search of him. Ultimately Kamahl must decide between his friendship to the dementia summoner, Chainer, and the Mirari itself.

OdysseyThe journey begins anew. The apocalypse has come and gone. The landscape is blasted, and civilization has been torn asunder. The world has turned to pit fights and blood contests where quick wits and a good grip on a blade may keep a man alive for another day. Amidst this life-and death struggle arises an artifact of compelling power. None can resist it.

ApocalypseThe end of the world is truly here. The Phyrexian invasion continues and things look bad for Dominaria. In the first wave, millions of Dominarians died from the plagues. In the second wave, hundreds of thousands more perished in combat. Badly outnumbered, they're running out of time.

Planeshift The Phyrexian invasion is in full swing, and despite some early victories, Urza and the armies of Dominaria are loosing. As the struggle rages, portions of the artificial plane Rath begin appearing in Dominaria, bringing hordes of Phyrexian reinforcements into the battle.

InvasionAs the hordes of Phyrexia begin pouring into Dominaria, the world looks to Urza, planeswalker and master artificer, for defense against the onslaught. As entire cultures fall under the Phyrexian hell, Urza gathers heroes, common folk, and powerful artifacts to fight the invasion.

ProphecyThe Keldons have landed in the north. The Jamuraan League of City-States has put together a ragtag defense and enlisted the help of the planeswalker, Teferi. But even a planeswalker cannot by himself hold back the might of Keld.

NemesisThe plans of the Dark Lord have assumed their final shape. On the artificial plane of Rath, staging ground for the invasion, the Phyrexians prepare to stop their greatest enemy, one who has combated them down through the millennia, one who alone can halt their attack: Urza Planeswalker.

Mercadian MasquesFollow the crew of the Weatherlight to Mercadia, a mysterious city fueled by treacherous forces.

Urza's DestinyThe planeswalker Urza's preparations for the Phyrexian invasion move into their final stage. Read how the millennia-long struggle between Urza and Phyrexia approaches its endgame in the last installment of the Urza's Saga Block.

Urza's LegacyUrza continues to build a collection of artifacts that will defeat the Phyrexian invasion. Learn how with the assistance of his student Jhoira and Karn, the silver golem, Urza surveys the Thran mana rig in Shiv and uncovers its primary purpose.

Urza's SagaThe Brothers' War between Mishra and Urza, the two most powerful artificers on Dominaria, is coming to a head in the Argoth forest. Each attempts to claim those resources for himself to fuel his war efforts-and to keep the other from obtaining them.

ExodusThe Rath Cycle concludes. Gerrard and the crew of the Weatherlight must overcome enemies from without and betrayal from within to escape from Rath with the Legacy and their lives intact.

StrongholdGerrard and the crew of the Weatherlight journey through the bowels of Volrath's stronghold, battling the twisted creations of Volrath's evil mind in an attempt to rescue their imprisoned comrades. The stronghold yields many dark secrets about the crew's friends, enemies, and themselves.

TempestThe Rath Cycle begins. Gerrard and heroes of the Weatherlight travel to the shadowy plane of Rath. This set chronicles their journeys as they set out to find the stronghold of the sinister Volrath.

WeatherlightWithout their captain, the crew of the weatherlight must scour the planes-searching not only for the kidnapped Sisay, but also for the pieces of The Legacy, the only thing that can save Dominaria from destruction at the hands of the demon Yawgmoth.

Visions The final battle for Jamuraa has waged for over a year. A small unit of elite warriors, guided by messages hidden in their dreams, is on a mission to free their only hope--the wizard Mangara.

MirageWelcome to Jamuraa, a land steeped in magical traditions that have existed for millennia. The northwest of the huge continent of Jamuraa is occupied by three nations: the militaristic kingdom of the Zhalfirins, the religious state of Femeref, and the trading province of the Suq'Ata empire.

HomelandsIsolated from other planes for a millenia, the plane of Homelands is now open to planeswalkers. As new threats from the outside arrive, a powerful vampire named Baron Sengir slowly builds power, vying for total control of the plane.

AlliancesAs the receding ice changes the landscape, the cultures that emerged after the Brothers' War struggle to survive. Even worse, on the ice-swept plains of the west, a powerful necromancer gathers an army of undead bent on conquest.

Ice Agea severe Ice Age has descended over Dominaria, changing the face of the land and reducing the civilizations of Terisiare to scattered tribes. The strong have turned to barbarism. The weak have died. The people of Kjeldor must battle against Lim-Dûl, and his demon lords in order to survive.

The DarkIn the aftermath of the Brother's War, religious zealotry nearly ends the practice of magic on Dominaria. Practitioners of magic are hounded by witch hunters, and horrible creatures emerge from the nightmare of the war.

Fallen Empires The devastation that ended the Brother's War has lasting effects. On the southern continent of Sapardia, five struggling civilizations slip slowly under the tide of outside aggression. As the empires fall, a dark age begins.

AntiquitiesOn the world of Dominaria, archeologists dig up the weapons of a long-lost empire. Two brothers, Urza and Mishra, discover the most powerful weapon yet, and their struggle to control it leads to war like the world has never seen.